Helena Bonham Carter

With the number of people I ignore, I'm lucky I work at all in this town

Helena Bonham Carter (born 26 May1966) is an English actress best known for her roles in costume dramas, as Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series and as Mrs. Lovett in the film musical Sweeney Todd.

I had never had any experience of autism before and I would come home and look at my son, Billy, who is now two, and be absolutely paranoid, particularly because he loves Thomas the Tank Engine, and lots of autys love Thomas. But he is not very good at pointing, and autistic children absolutely love pointing.

On playing the role of the mother of an autistic child; Evening Standard (London); Nov 16, 2005; Liz Jones; p. 34

I'm convinced that whatever state you're in during your pregnancy has a huge influence on the baby's personality - so I hope we haven't produced a little serial killer!

Famous people come up to me, but I don't know who they are because my sight is so bad. It's always at the pool of the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills when I don't have my lenses in and my glasses are in my room. … With the number of people I ignore, I'm lucky I work at all in this town.

There is no normality in life. Having two houses means that we can get out of each other's hair - which, let's face it, we've both got a lot of

Of her relationship with Tim Burton

On the day Billy was born, it was like walking through a mirror and everything was Technicolor. My life had been very work-orientated, and all in close-up. Once I had the family it went into sudden widescreen.

When you're up for an Oscar, you just get offered everything. It's fantastic, but a lot of it you're completely inappropriate for.

I think it's quite an extreme statement - it might be my ultimate attempt to put the corset to bed. But I think I've still got a bit of a sado-masochistic streak in me, because if I'm not going to be restricted by corsets and covered in lace, then I still wind up wearing an ape-mask over my face. I do wonder how I get myself in these situations!

I drink booze, I smoke, and I'm hooked on caffeine. I actually have been known to swear at times and belch and even raise my voice when provoked. And I'm not physically repressed!

Of her role in Planet of the Apes.

It was a challenge to be able to create a character without being able to use one's normal set of expressions. All the rubber and makeup attached to your face left you with only a modest range of facial movements.